ସରିଯାଇଥିବା ବିଧାନସଭା ଓ ଆମ ଭାଷା -୧୦

ସୁଭାଷ ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକ

ଆଶା ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଆଶା ପୋଷଣ କରି , ଆମ ଭାଷା ଆନ୍ଦୋଳନକାରୀମାନଙ୍କୁ ବୁଝାଇବାକୁ ଯେ, ପାରିତ ସଂଶୋଧନ କାହିଁକି ପୁନଃ ସଂଶୋଧିତ ହେବା ଉଚିତ, ମୁଁ ଗଣମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଚର୍ଚ୍ଚା କଲି । ତହିଁର ଏକ ନମୂନା ହେଲା, ୧୧.୫.୨୦୧୮ରେ ସେତେବେଳେ ପାଠକମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ଵାରା ଗମ୍ଭୀର ଭାବେ ଘେନା ହେଉଥିବା ଦୈନିକ ନିରିଦିନରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ମୋ ପ୍ରବନ୍ଧ । ଶୀର୍ଷକ ଥିଲା – ଭାଷା ଆଇନ ସଂଶୋଧନ ପୁନଶ୍ଚ ସଂଶୋଧିତ ହେବା ଦରକାର ।

ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ ଜାଣିସାରିଥିଲି ଯେ, ମୋ ଦୁଇ ପ୍ରମୁଖ ସହକର୍ମୀ ଭିତରେ ଭିତରେ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ସହ ହାତ ମିଳାଇଛନ୍ତି , ସୁତରାଂ ଭାଷା ଆନ୍ଦୋଳନ ପୂର୍ବପରି ଉଭା ହେବା କଷ୍ଟକର ହେବ, ମା ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ବୃହତ୍ତର ସ୍ଵାର୍ଥ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରୁ, ପାରିତ ବିଧେୟକଟିକୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟାନ କରିବାକୁ ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳଙ୍କୁ ନିବେଦନ କରିବାକୁ ଏକ ଚିଠି ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରି ଆମ ଆଂଦୋଳନର ଲେଟର ପ୍ୟାଡରେ ତାକୁ ମୁଦ୍ରିତ କରି ଆଣିବା ସକାଶେ ଏହି କାମ ଦାୟିତ୍ଵରେ ଥିବା ପବିତ୍ର ମହାରଥାଙ୍କୁ ମୁଁ ୨୨.୫.୨୦୧୮ରେ ପଠାଇଥିଲି । ତାହା ଥିଲା ଏହିପରି –

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
May 22, 2018, 2:30 PM

to Pabitra

ପବିତ୍ର,
କୁଳପତି ସମ୍ମିଳନୀ ଚାଲିଛି । ଏହାର ଦୁଇଟି କପି ପ୍ରିଣ୍ଟ କରିବା ।
ତାରିଖ ହାତରେ ଲେଖିବା । ଏହା ପାଇଲେ ଫୋନ କରିବ ।
MEMORANDUM
DATED

To
His Excellency The Governor of Orissa,
Raj Bhawan, Bhubaneswar

Sub: Request for returning the Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Bill, 2018

Ref:
(1) The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act , 1963;
(2) Government Resolution No. GAD-Code-Cordes-0013-2015-18715/GA dt. 31.07.2015 creating a Ministerial Committee “for implementation of Odisha Official Language Act,1954;
(3) Draft Amendment to Odisha Official Language Act proposed by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, Member, Ministerial Committee, on 3.9.2015;
(4) Draft Rules proposed by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, Member, Ministerial Committee, on 3.9.2015;
(5) Letter of Subhas Chandra Pattanayak to Principal Secretary, Law on 07.03.2016 for repeal of Sec.3-A of Odisha Official Language Act inserted through Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act , 1963;
(6) Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016
(7) Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2016;
(8) Odisha Official Language Rules, 2016;
(9) CMO Letter No.773/CM dt.19.05.2017 to Subhas Chandra Pattanayak inviting him for discussion of implementation of Odisha Official Language Act,1954;
(10) Draft Amendment to Odisha Official Language Act proposed by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, as Chairman of Bhasha Andolan, Orissa with a delegation of Bhasha Andolan on 19.5.2017 on invitation by the Chief Minister;
(11) Cabinet Resolution dt.26.12.2018 in its 51st meeting for amendment of Odisha Official Language Act;
(12) Cabinet Resolution dt 14.3.2018 in its 52nd meeting finally formulating the amendment to Odisha Official Language Act;
(13) Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Bill, as passed by the Assembly on 2.5.2018

Sir,
The Odisha Official Language Act was made and promulgated in 1954. With “at once” effect, it made Oriya the only Language for all and any official purpose in Orissa. The State of Orissa – the first linguistic State of India – was created for this single purpose.
But it was made with two congenital defects:
1. Absence of punishment against its contravention; and
2. Absence of power for the State to frame Rules for its implementation.
When a member in the Ministerial Committee created on an Official Resolution on “implementation of the Odisha Official Language Act,1954”, Subhas Chandra Pattanayak had examined in-depth the reasons of its non-implementation and located the above two defects. He had submitted on 3.9.2015 a draft for amendment of the Act to remove these two defects and also a set of draft Rules to drive the Act ahead. On 07.03.2016 Sri Pattanayak wrote to Principal Secretary, Law, being informed that he was vetting his draft, to also repeal the Sec.3-A of the Acted inserted thereinto through an amendment in 1963.
As nothing tangible occurred, Bhasha Andolan, Odisha, in espousing the said proposal, commenced its ‘Black Flag Campaign’ on 13.04/2016 under the impact of which, specifically as repealing the 1963 amendment masterminded by Late Biju Patnaik was best to be avoided by his son, the incumbent CM, the State Government amended the Act on 21.5. 2016 by way of an Ordinance in partial acceptance of the above proposal, which equipped the Government with the power to frame the Rules. The other proposal for punishment to contraveners of the Act was not heeded to. The most peaceful and popular Black Flag Campaign, after entering into the third year, has made the Government amend the Act that provides for punishment.
It is the most noteworthy victory of a movement in Orissa. Yet, we oppose the Bill that is worded as follows:

“4A. The State Government may prescribe suitable measures in the rules to award incentives to officials or departments for extensive use of the official language and also to punish the erring officials or departments.”

We oppose it on the following grounds:
1. The words “extensive use” does not mean “Total use” for which the State was created and also gives adequate scope for the contraveners to escape punishment by invoking the free zone the word “extensive” automatically generates;
2. The words “use of the Official Language” gives scope for nonuse of Odia Language, as Odia is not the only official language. The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1963 has promulgated English as official language in context of Orisha Legislative Assembly. As the same has not yet been repealed, the wording in this Amendment Bill needs be “use of Odia as Official language” instead of “use of Official Language”. Unless it is done, and the Sec. 3-A of the Act inserted through Amendment Act, 1963 is repealed, the present amendment is self-defeating, which the Assembly has failed to appreciate and work upon;
3. The words “to punish the erring officials or departments” make farce of this amendment. If Departments are punished for offences of Officials, it would be punishing the people, as the departments run entirely with the money the people pay.
Over and above this, the “Statement of Objects and Reasons” that forms the base of this Bill is generated evidently by blatant misuse of power by the Chief Minister, who is the Member-in-Charge of this Bill.
Your Excellency may please call for records of the 52nd meeting of the Cabinet held on 14.3.2018. It had noted in its Resolution, vide Press Note released on the same day, that the Bill must carry the provision “for imposing penalty against the Officers and employees who are violating the provisions of the notifications under the Act.” Instead of acting on this resolution which had stipulated on punishing the erring employees and Officials only, the Bill has been made to stand wrongfully on Cabinet resolution dated 26.12.2017 which was de facto superseded by the 14.3.2018 Cabinet for the wrong it was pregnant with; because that 51st meeting of the Cabinet had wrongfully resolved to punish erring officials and departments. That wrong proposal has been wrongfully used in the Statement of Objects and Reasons of this Bill by making the same further lacerated by replacing the word “and” in the said resolution with “/ “ in the wrongfully quoted resolution in the Statement and by the word “ or ” in the body of the draft.
Your Excellency shall have to look into this particular matter and decide if the Chief Minister has any rightful jurisdiction to bury the Cabinet Resolution dated 14.3.2018 under a carpet of conspiracy against the people of Orissa and make a law on the basis of a superseded resolution of the cabinet dated 26.12.2017 by tampering the same to punish the people of Orissa for the offenses the employees would be perpetrating.
Pending such inquiry, on behalf of Bhasa Andolan, Orissa, we pray your Excellency to please return the Bill sans you assent asking the Government to come out with a Statement of Objects and Reasons formulated and noted by the latest Cabinet dated 14.3.2018 in the matter and to word the section under question, i.e.Section 4A to remove the defects enumerated above.

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Chairman, Bhasha Andolan, Orissa.

Pradyumna Satapathy
President, Bhasha Andolan, Orissa

Pabitra Maharatha
Convener, Bhasha Andolan, Orissa

And, Eminent Activists present:

ଏହା ୨୪.୫.୨୦୧୮ର ଦାପ୍ତରିକ ସମୟ ଶେଷ ସୁଦ୍ଧା ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳଙ୍କ ନିକଟକୁ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହେବାର ଥିଲା; କାରଣ ପାରିତ ବିଧେୟକଟି ୨୫.୫.୨୦୧୮ ଦିନ ତାଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ପେଶ୍ ହୋଇପାରେ ବୋଲି ରାଜଭବନ ସୂତ୍ରରୁ ଆମେ ଜାଣିଥିଲୁ । ଏହା ଅତି କମରେ ଆମ ତିନି କର୍ମକର୍ତ୍ତାଙ୍କ ସ୍ଵାକ୍ଷରରେ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହେବାକୁ ଚିନ୍ତା କରି ମୁଁ ଚିଠାଟି ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରିଥିଲି । ଶେଷ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ପବିତ୍ର ମୋତେ ଯେଉଁ ମୁଦ୍ରିତ ପତ୍ରଟି ଦେଲେ, ତହିଁରେ ତାଙ୍କର ବା ପ୍ରଦ୍ୟୁମ୍ନ ବାବୁଙ୍କ ନାମ ନ ଥିଲା । ତାଙ୍କର କୈଫିଯତ ଥିଲା, “ପ୍ରଦ୍ୟୁମ୍ନ ବାବୁ କେବଳ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ସ୍ଵାକ୍ଷରରେ ଏହା ଯାଉ ବୋଲି କହିଲେ; ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ବି ମୋ ନାମ ଲେଖିନାହିଁ ।” ମୁଁ ଜାଣିଲି ଯେ କଦଳୀରେ ଦାଗ ଗଭୀର ହେବାରେ ଲାଗିଛି;କାରଣ ସରକାରଙ୍କୁ ଏମାନେ ତଥାପି ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋ ପନ୍ଥାରେ ଥିବା ସୂଚାଇବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁ ନଥିଲେ । କିନ୍ତୁ ମୋ ପାଇଁ ଭିନ୍ନ ପନ୍ଥା ବି ନ ଥିଲା । ମୁଁ ଏମାନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ନିର୍ଭର କରୁଥିଲି । କଳାପତାକା ନ ଚାଲୁ ପଛେ , ପ୍ରତିଦିନ ମଧୁବାବୁଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଯେଉଁ ସମାବେଶ ହେଉଥିଲା, ତାହା ମୋ ପାଇଁ ଆଇନର ଭୁଲ ସଂଶୋଧନକୁ ସୁଧାରିବା ପାଇଁ ଚାପ ପ୍ରୟୋଗର ଶେଷ ଆଶ୍ରା ହୋଇ ଉଭା ହୋଇଥିଲା । ମୁଁ ସ୍ଵାକ୍ଷର କରି ସେଦିନ ଦାପ୍ତରିକ ସମୟ ଶେଷ ହେବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ ସ୍ମାରକ ପତ୍ରଟି ରାଜଭବନରେ ଦାଖଲ କରିଥିଲି । ଓଡ଼ିଶାମ୍ୟାଟର୍ସ॰କମ ତହିଁ ପର ଦିନ ତାର ବିବରଣୀ ରଖିଥିଲା ଏହିପରି – Refuse assent: Bhasha Andolan Requsts the Governor

ଏଥିରେ ମୁଁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅନୁରୋଧ କରିଥିଲି କି, ଏହି ପ୍ରମାଦପୂର୍ଣ ସଂଶୋଧନକୁ ମଞ୍ଜୁରୀ ନ ଦେଇ ସେ ଫେରାଇ ଦିଅନ୍ତୁ । ତାହା ହେଲା ନାହିଁ । ଜଣେ ଅଣଓଡ଼ିଆ ଲୋକଠାରୁ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷା ପାଇଁ କାହିଁକି ବା ଦରଦ ଆଶା କରିବା ଯେତେବେଳେ ଆମ ବିଧାନସଭାର ଓଡ଼ିଆ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଓ ବିଧାୟକମାନେ ଆମ ଭାଷାକୁ ମାରି ଦେବା ପାଇଁ ଏପରି ଭୟଙ୍କର ଅପରାଧ ଘଟାଇଛନ୍ତି ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଜାତିର ଭାଷା ଅଧିକାର ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ! ଏବଂ ଏହି ଅପରାଧରେ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ଗୁପ୍ତ ସହଯୋଗୀ ସାଜିପାରିଛନ୍ତି ମୋର କେଇଜଣ ଘନିଷ୍ଟ ସହକର୍ମୀ । (କ୍ରମଶଃ)

୧୪.୬.୨୦୧୯